Device and method for treating and processing food products and food components

Abstract

The present invention relates to a food processing device, for example but not exclusively, a gripper, a conveying hook, or a collection cup (1), having at least one processing surface portion of matt stainless steel having the following roughness characteristics: —a roughness value Ra, 0.2≤Ra≤1.2 (μm), and —a peak density value Rpc, 40<Rpc<140 (1/cm). It has been found that with devices treated in this manner, the application of vision technology is appreciably improved, so that much more reliable images are obtained. An example of this concerns observing yolk in albumen upon the breaking of eggs in egg breakers. Further, a particularly advantageous combination of usefulness is obtained, in this case for vision and cleanability.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A food processing device comprising a collection cup, having at least one processing surface portion of matt stainless steel having the following roughness characteristics:
 a roughness value Ra, 0.2≤Ra≤1.2 (μm), and 
 a peak density value Rpc, 40<Rpc<140 (1/cm),
 and wherein the process surface portion includes a bottom portion which possesses an optical reflection Ry, in gloss units GU, 
 
 in the 20° measuring range, 8<Ry 20 <14 and 
 in the 60° measuring range, 45<Ry 60 <70. 
 
     
     
       2. A food processing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the roughness value Ra is in the range of 0.3<Ra<1.0 (μm). 
     
     
       3. A food processing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the roughness value Ra is in the range of 0.3<Ra<0.5 (μm). 
     
     
       4. A food processing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the roughness value Ra is in the range of from 0.2 through 0.7 μm (0.2≤Ra≤0.7 μm). 
     
     
       5. A food processing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the peak density value Rpc is greater than 60 cm −1  and less than 140 cm −1  (60<Rpc<140 1/cm). 
     
     
       6. A food processing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion has one or more of the following features:
 an optical reflection Ry, in gloss units GU, in the 20° measuring range according to 8<Ry 20 <14, and in the 60° measuring range according to 45<Ry 60 <70; 
 further roughness characteristics for the derivative of the total interpeak area Mr2 according to 85<Mr2<93%, and for the derivative of the total peak volume Rvk according to 0.4<Rvk<1.8 μm; and 
 further roughness characteristics for the derivative of the total interpeak area Mr2 according to 85<Mr2<93%, and for the derivative of the total peak volume Rvk according to 0.4<Rvk<0.9 μm, and in particular Rvk, 0.5<Rvk<0.9 μm. 
 
     
     
       7. A collection cup according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the bottom portion possess further roughness characteristics,
 for the derivative of the total interpeak area Mr2, 85<Mr2<93%, and 
 for the derivative of the total peak volume Rvk, 0.4<Rvk<1.8 μm. 
 
     
     
       8. A fluid collecting device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the bottom portion possess further roughness characteristics,
 for the derivative of the total interpeak area Mr2, 85<Mr2<93%, and 
 for the derivative of the total peak volume Rvk, 0.4<Rvk<0.9 μm, and in particular Rvk, 0.5<Rvk<0.9 μm. 
 
     
     
       9. An apparatus for breaking eggs, having collection cups for, after breaking, at least receiving and collecting albumen, wherein said collection cups possess the characteristics according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the collection cups are constructed to receive and collect yolk. 
     
     
       11. A system comprising a detection device for imaging at least parts of the food collecting devices according to  claim 1  and an inspecting device for processing and inspecting images. 
     
     
       12. A method for observing yolk in albumen upon the breaking of eggs in egg breakers, comprising the use of a collection cup according to  claim 6  to receive the albumen, and observing the albumen received in the collection cup with a detection device. 
     
     
       13. A food processing device, comprising a collection cup, having at least one processing surface portion of matt stainless steel having the following roughness characteristics:
 a roughness value Ra, 0.2<Ra<1.2 (μm), and 
 a peak density value Rpc, 40<Rpc<140 (1/cm),
 wherein the process surface portion is a bottom portion which has one or more of the following features: 
 
 an optical reflection Ry, in gloss units GU, in the 20° measuring range according to 8<Ry 20 <14 and in the 60° measuring range according to 45<Ry 60 <70; 
 further roughness characteristics for the derivative of the total interpeak area Mr2 according to 85<Mr2<93%, and for the derivative of the total peak volume Rvk according to 0.4<Rvk<1.8 μm; and 
 further roughness characteristics for the derivative of the total interpeak area Mr2 according to 85<Mr2<93%, and for the derivative of the total peak volume Rvk according to 0.4<Rvk<0.9 μm, and in particular Rvk, 0.5<Rvk<0.9 μm. 
 
     
     
       14. A food processing device comprising a collection cup, having at least one processing surface portion of matt stainless steel having the following roughness characteristics:
 a roughness value Ra, 0.2≤Ra≤1.2 (μm), and 
 a peak density value Rpc, 40<Rpc<140 (1/cm),
 wherein the processing surface bottom portion, possesses further roughness characteristics 
 
 for the derivative of the total interpeak area Mr2, 85<Mr2<93%, and 
 for the derivative of the total peak volume Rvk, 0.4<Rvk<1.8 μm. 
 
     
     
       15. A food processing device comprising a collection cup, having at least one processing surface portion of matt stainless steel having the following roughness characteristics:
 a roughness value Ra, 0.2≤Ra≤1.2 (μm), and 
 a peak density value Rpc, 40<Rpc<140 (1/cm),
 wherein the process surface portion includes a bottom portion, and wherein at least the bottom portion possesses further roughness characteristics, 
 
 for the derivative of the total interpeak area Mr2, 85<Mr2<93%, and 
 for the derivative of the total peak volume Rvk, 0.4<Rvk<0.9 μm.